Quantification of elasticity changes in the myometrium during labor using Supersonic Shear Imaging: A feasibility study

•We monitored by shear wave elastography myometrium during labor.•The proof of concept was made over 6patients.•We monitored elasticity at high framerate during one contraction.•We monitored elasticity at low framerate along multiple contraction.•Results were correlated with classical tocodynamograp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ultrasonics 2015-02, Vol.56, p.183-188
Main Authors: Gennisson, Jean-Luc, Muller, Marie, Gabor, Petra, Frydman, René, Musset, Dominique, Tanter, Mickaël, Ami, Olivier
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Elasticity
Elasticity Imaging Techniques - methods
Elasticity measurements during labour
Feasibility Studies
Female
Humans
Imaging
Labor, Obstetric - physiology
Myometrium - physiology
Myometrium contraction
Physiology
Pregnancy
Real time
Shear wave elastography
Sound waves
Stiffness
Tocodynamometer
Uterine Contraction - physiology
Uterine elasticity
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Summary:•We monitored by shear wave elastography myometrium during labor.•The proof of concept was made over 6patients.•We monitored elasticity at high framerate during one contraction.•We monitored elasticity at low framerate along multiple contraction.•Results were correlated with classical tocodynamography. Very little is known about the myometrium’s physiology in terms of its elasticity but shear wave elastography could be an efficient tool to better understand it. This could considerably help the prevention of difficult births, the consequences of which are tremendous for neonate morbidity and pathologies. The purpose of this paper is to show the feasibility of the in vivo monitoring of myometrial stiffness changes in contraction and relaxation during pregnancy. In this study, Supersonic Shear Wave Imaging, a real-time and quantitative imaging technique that has been proven efficient for the investigation of tissue elasticity, was used to quantify the uterus shear-wave speed and stiffness in 6patients, through the abdomen, using an 8-MHz linear ultrasound probe. Changes in shear wave speed were tracked in real time during the uterine contraction and were well correlated with the uterine pressure, which is currently considered to be a gold standard. These results open a new way to better understand the myometrium contraction during labour.
ISSN:0041-624X
1874-9968
DOI:10.1016/j.ultras.2014.07.013